Yup, We Went to Machu Picchu
Friday, March 2nd, 2007
So, a few days ago we took the long train ride from Cuzco to Machu Picchu. Because of our digestive problems and generalized laziness, we opted out of the Inca Trail, which, during February, is a day longer and apparently much more difficult. When we arrived in a horde of tourists, it became apparent why the trail is so popular — you arrive at Machu Picchu before dawn, watch the sunrise, and have the place to yourself for a good 5 hours before the first tourist train arrives. This is the way to feel wonder at Machu Picchu, not fighting through tour groups and walking very slowly up hills like you’re an ant in a line.
This doesn’t mean, however, that Machu Picchu isn’t a magnificent site. We just weren’t able to do it justice the way we planned our trip. We found ourselves a guide for just the two of us, who introduced himself as “Johnny” and told us we could call him “Johnny Walker,” which we didn’t. Without him, we would probably have missed all the coolest stuff — the Temple of the Mother Earth, the fountains, the way the Incas not only used the rock of the mountain to carve their temples but also carved the rock of the mountain into sculptures of the mountains that surrounded the city. Truly an impressive, awe-inspiring location. The Incas used it well.
Click on the photo for more shots — mostly Megan and Sarah in various “money-shot” poses around one of the most photographed sites in the world. Also, some cool shots experimenting with our new camera. Look out for Sarah in yellow.
-Megan (with help from Sarah)
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